Typewriting machine



June 4, 1935;

A. A. JOHNSON TYPEWRITING MACHINE Original Filed April 16. 1931 I5 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

June 1935- A. A. JOHNSON TYPEWRITING MACHINE Original Filed April 16, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

June 1935- A. A. JOHNSON TYPEWRITING MACHINE Original Filed April 16, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 V EN T 0R.

Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rrrnwmrmo MACHINE Application April 16, 1931, Serial No. 530,517

Renewed August 15, 1934 29 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriting machines, and more particularly, to means for facilitating the making of manifold copies.

Heretofore it was suggested, in order to eliminate the use of carbon or transfer sheets or strips, or duplicating ribbons running with or extending transversely of the continuous worksheet strips on the platen, to provide a wheel or circular disk carrying at its edge a transfer medium and locating these disks between the several worksheet strips so that the transfer material extends across the line of writing and so that the disk rotates or rolls in contact with the worksheet strips at the writing line and presents its entire periphery to the writing line as the typewriter carriage travels from side to side in the writing operation.

It has also been proposed to feed the superposed worksheet strips in unison in line-feeding direction by providing the platen with pinbearing bodies and providing the worksheet strips with longitudinally extending marginal rows of pin-wheel engaging apertures.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for carrying transfer material between the worksheet strips at the line of writing and for causing the transfer medium to enter between the adjacent worksheet strips as the writing progresses from one side of the strips to the other, and yet permit the strips to be advanced and have their feeding movements controlled by the pin-wheels and pin-wheel engaging apertures.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved means for supporting and controlling .a rolling carbon carrier so that it may be easily and quickly removed from the machine to be replaced by another.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

. .In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a typewritingdevice ofthe present invention associated with the platen.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the carriage for the rolling carbon holders, fragments of the wheelsupporting carriage being shown.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the carriage taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the carriage shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the upper end of asupporting frame and one of the arms on which the carriage rails are supported.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the means for holding the uppermost worksheet from falling forwardly.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the part shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of a modified form of this invention.

The device of the present invention may be 5 applied to the ordinary typewriter where the platen is mounted to move step-by-step in letter feed direction, but is herein shown as applied to the kind of typewriter having a relatively nontra-veling rotatable platen l0 mounted on a shaft l I supported by arms l2. The type bars l3 may be mounted in a segment l4 supported by a carriage l5 running on rollers IS on a supporting frame II. The type bars ,13 are provided with actuating mechanism I8 so that they'swing forwardly and rearwardly against the front face of the platen at the writing line I9.

The platen I0 is provided with a paper table 20 fastened to a frame 2| rising above the main frame I! and it is over this work-table 20 that the continuous worksheet strips 22 are led into engagement with the platen to receive impres-- sions from' the type bars I3 which are performed on the original copy or top worksheet strip 22 through an inking ribbon 23. The worksheet strips, in the form of the present invention shown herein, are" provided with marginally disposed rows of apertures 24 adapted to be aligned and engage pins 25, of which there may be as many as desired, four being shown'at each end of the platen Ill. Of course, the pins 25 maybe mounted directly on the platen, or they may be mounted on wheels secured to the platen, as desired.

For the purpose of making manifold copies on the under worksheet strips, it was previously proposed to provide a wheel or disk having a margin of transfer material around its periphery adapted to be supported between the several worksheet strips so as to be located on the line of writing I9 and to rotate, or more properly, roll 55 into the line of writing and between the superposed worksheet strips as the typewriting opera tion progresses from one side of the platen to the other.

However, with the disks or wheels heretofore proposed for this purpose, it-was impossible to reach the lateral edges of the worksheet strips when the strips were fed by the pins 25, because the wheels or disks would be interfered with by the pins 25, both on occasion, being located at the line of writing. This could be obviated by providing a wide enough margin at each side of the worksheet strips in which no writing is to be done. In other words, by restricting the width of the writing zone so that the portions of the transfer wheels at each side of the perpendicular would not reach the pins. This, however, would entail'a great loss of writing space and would be prohibitive on account of the added cost entailed by the increased width of the worksheet strip which would be necessary.

This is obviated by the present invention by employing segmental carbon holders and making the arc thereof substantially equal to the line of writing so that radial extending edges of the segment will be kept clear of the pins even when the arcuate portion of the segment is located on the line of writing and just inside of the row of pin-engaging apertures 24.

Accordingly, as shown, the present invention provides segments 26 substantially vertically disposed and having at their lower portidns arcuate bands 21 of carbon paper or the like adapted to project into the spaces between the adjacent worksheet strips 22 at the line of writing l9, as indicated in Fig. 1. I

These segments 26 may be made of any suitable material such as pressed board or celluloid, and are pivotally mounted at their upper ends, having, for this purpose in the form shown, an aperture 28 adapted to receive a pin 29 on a carrier 30. For the purpose of permitting the segments 26 to be applied and removed with great ea'se from the carrier 30 and yet be held securely thereto for pivotal movement, the upper end of the segment is provided with a partially circular tab 3| in which the hole 28 is provided and which is adapted to be slid under arms 32 which may be, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, lanced from the carrier 30, which keep the tab 3| from falling off the pin 29. The tab may be placed under the arms 32 by bending or flexing it while at the same time aligning the hole 28 over the pin 29. Or, the pin may be slipped into an elongated hole 33 at the upper end of the tab and may then be pushed vertically, the margins of the tab 3| sliding under the arms 32 and the center portion of the tab being flexed upwardly when the rounded top surface of the pin 29 reaches the end of the slot 33 so as to flex the tab. The upward movement is then continued until the pin 29 enters the hole 28.

When the device is to be used with a travelling platen instead of, as shown, with a travelling type basket, the carriers 30 may be mounted on any suitable supports between which the under worksheet strips 22 may be fed. In the present case, as stated, the platen I is mounted relatively stationary while the type basket travels, and hence, according to the present invention in the form shown herein, the carriers 30 are mounted to travel with the traveling movements of the type basket carriage l5.

For this purpose, the upwardly extending frame 2| is provided with forwardly extending arms 34,

one on each side of the machine, and these arms have secured to them U-shaped rails 35 on each of which a carrier 30 is adapted to slide from one side of the machine to the other as the typewriting progresses. When the typing is being performed at the center of the platen, the segment 26 will be in the position shown in Fig. 1, so that its median line is centrally disposed with relation to the platen. When, however, the carrier 30 is at its extreme position to one side or the other with relation to the platen as shown in Fig. 2, the radial edge 36 of the segment is perpendicular to the line of writing, and hence is clear of any interference with or by the pins 25 carried by the platen, yet the transfer strip 21 is located very close to the pin-engaging apertures 24 and writing may be performed at that point as indicated in dotted lines by the type bar IS.

The uppermost worksheet strip is held against falling over forwardly by a bail 3| pivotally mounted at the forward ends of the arms 34 and held in place by split washers 38 engaging trunnions 39 on the bail.

For the purpose of causing the carriers 30 to travel step-by-step in coordination with the traveling movements of the type basket carriage I5, the carrier is connected by cables 40 to a lug 4| on the carriage l5 and the connection may ininclude an eye 42 which may be adjusted to take up any slack in the cable.

There is a cable 40 for each carbon carrier 30. This cable extends from the lug 4| over a roller 43, then vertically and over a roller 44 at the top of theframe 2|, then forwardly over a roller 45 on the arm 34 just below the U-shaped track 35, then upwardly over a roller 46 supported by the U-shaped track 35. It then has a horizontal stretch 41 extending through the track 35 to the opposite end thereof where it passes over a roller 48 and from the roller 48 it has a horizontal stretch 49 extending through an eye 50 in a clamping screw 5| secured to the carrier 30. The

stretch 49 continues to the other side of the,

.those first described but at the other side of the machine, and back to the lug 4|. Thus as the type basket carriage, l5 travels from one side of the machine to the other in either letter feed or return direction, the carrier 30 for each transfer segment 26 is caused to travel in step with the carriage l5.

In so traveling back and forth, the carrier 30 shifts the pin 29 on which the transfer segment is mounted and thereby causes the segment to roll in the space between the worksheet strips being in contact therewith and to successively present various portions of its arc to the writing line.

The band 21 of carbon or other transfer material is preferably made somewhat wider than would be otherwise necessary, so that different portions of the band may be presented to the line carrying the rails 35 and segment carrier 30 are pivotally mounted with relation to the stationary frame 2| and hence may be raised or lowered with relation to the main frame 2| and platen 0.

The arms 34 may have any suitable form of mounting and preferably are provided with means permitting them to be quickly located in one of several different positions. For this purpose, the arms 34 are provided with extensions 55 having an aperture 56 through which a pin 51 may also extend through one of a plurality of apertures 58 in the main frame 2|. Hence, by removing the pin 51 and shifting the arms 34 and then replacing the pin, the arms 34 may be held in any one of three different positions corresponding to three different arcuate zones on the transfer band 21.

\The device may be provided with a paper table 59 for guiding the lowermost worksheet strip 22 in its upward movement and one or more of the carriers 30 may be provided with plates 60 depending therefrom for the purpose of keeping the leading edges of the worksheet strips from catching on to the carriages or rails in being fed upwardly.

If desired, and as shown in Fig. 3, the band 21 of transfer or carbon material may be detachably mounted on the segment 26 which itself may be detachably mounted upon the carrier 30, and with this arrangement, a new carbon band 21 may be substituted for the consumed one by merely being removed from the segment 26.

In the form shown, the band 21 of carbon material is provided with key-hole slots 6| to engage projections or pins 62 on the segment 26 and these key-hole slots preferably extend toward each other so that the carbon band 21 may be applied by flexing its middle portion and will be held in place by merely straightening out. Further, with this arrangement, the pins 62 will remain positively connected with the carbon band 21 in both directions of movement of the segments 26. A

In Fig. 11, there is shown a modification of this invention wherein the carbon holder 26a and carbon strip 21a form almost a complete circle, but even in this case the carbon strip has its terminal portions 21b so arranged as to clear the pins 25 on the platen. In this case also the peripheral length of the carbon strip is approximately equal to the line of writing so that when the carbon.

strip is at each end of the platen, the cut-out 21c therein will clear the pins 25.

In the use of the device, since the arcuate transfer strip 21a is merely suspended between the worksheet strips at the line of writing, rotation of the platen in line-feed direction might tend to cause the operating portion of the carbon strip 2'; to move out of the line of writing. However, when the carriage is returned, the rolling action between the carbon strip and the paper causes the strip to easily slide down again to the line of writing so as to be in proper position to start the next line. This rolling action also permits the lower edge of the carbon strip 21a. to move to proper position in the line of writing, even where the worksheet strips are transversely perforated -because the portions of the carbon strip which project from the holder 26a at the line of perforations is made with-the edge of the carbon strip 21a at an angle to the line of perforation and, as the carbon holder 26a rolls, the strip 21a is in effect cammed over the protruding portions of the paper at the line of perforations.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to obtain Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips; type .mechanism movable in step-by-step letter feed or return direction relative to the platen; a transfer strip; and. means travelling with the type mechanism for supporting said transfer strip between the worksheet strips at the line of writing so that successive portions of the strip progressively roll into the line of writing conjointly with the traveling movements of the type mechanism.

2. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips; type mechanism movable in step-by-step letter feed or return direction relative to the platen; a carrier movable with the type mechanism in letter feed direction; a holder rotatably mounted on the carrier; and a transfer strip on the peripheral margin of the holder, said transfer strip being locatedbetween the worksheet strips at the line of writing and having successive portions progressively rolled into the line of writing as a result of the traveling movements of the carrier with the type mechanism. a

3. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips; type mechanism movable in step-by-step letter feed or return direction relative to the platen; a carrier movable with the type mechanism in letter feed'direction; a segmental holder rotatably mounted on the carrier; and an arcuate transfer strip on the arcuate margin of the segmental holder, said arcuate transfer strip being located between the worksheet strips at the line of writing and being progressively rolled into the line of writing as a result of the traveling movements of the carrier with the type mechanism, the length of the arcuate transfer strip being substantially equal to the length of the line of writing.

4. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips, said platen having feeding pins thereon and the worksheet strips having marginal pinengaging apertures; type mechanism movable into line writing position and in step-by-step letter feed and return direction relative to the platen; a transfer member; and means travelling with the type mechanism supporting said transfer member between the worksheet strips at the line of writing so that successive portions progressively roll into the line of writing conjointly with the traveling movements of the type mechanism and portions of which are cut-away to avoid interference with or by the feeding pins of the platen when typing is being performed adjacent the pins of the platen and the marginally apertured edges of the worksheet strips.

5. In a typewriter, the combination of a cylindrical platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips and type mechanism movable relatively in step-by-step letter feed or return direction, said platen having spaced circular rows of feeding pins and said worksheets'having marginal pin-engaging apertures; an arcuate transfer strip; and means for supporting said transfer strip between the worksheet strips at the line of writing so that successive portions progres'sively roll into the line of writing conjointly with type mechanism traveling movements in letter feed or return direction, said arcuate transfer strip being in extent less than a complete circle and being cut-away so as to avoid interi'erence with or by the feeding pins of the platen when typing is being performed adjacent the pins of the platen and the marginally apertured edge of the worksheet strips.

6. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips and type mechanism movable relatively in step-by-step letter feed or return direction, said platen having longitudinally spaced circular rows of feeding pins and said worksheets having marginal pin-engaging apertures; a transfer strip; and means for supporting said transfer strip between the worksheet strips at the line of writing so that succesive portions progressively roll into the line of writing conjointly with type mecha- 'nism traveling movements in letter feed or return direction, said transfer strip forming a segment of a circle and having a peripheral length approximately equal to the length of the line of.

writing.

'7. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips and type mechanism movable relatively in step-by-step letter feed or return direction, said platen having spaced circular rows of feeding pins and said worksheets having marginal pinengaging apertures; a carrier; a holder rotatably mounted on the carrier; and a transfer strip forming the peripheral margin of the holder, said transfer strip being located between the worksheet strips at the line of writing and having successive portions progressively rolled into the line of writing as a result of said relative traveling movements in letter feed or return direction and having a peripheral length approximately equal to the length of the line of writing and slightly less than the distance between the spaced circular 'rows of feeding pins and pin-engaging apertures at opposite lateral edges of the worksheet strips.

8. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips and type mechanism movable relatively in step-by-step letter feed or return direction, said platen havingspaced circular rows of feeding pins and said worksheets having marginal pinengaging apertures; a carrier; a segmental holder rotatably mounted on the carrier; and a transfer strip forming the arcuate margin of the segmental holder, said transfer strip being located between the worksheet strips at the line of writing and having successive portions progressively rolled into the line of writing as a result of said traveling movements in letter feed or'return direction, the length of the arcuate transfer strip being substantially equal to the length of the line of writing and slightly less than the distance between the spaced circular rows of feeding pins and the pin-engaging apertures at opposite lateral edges of the work sheet strips.

9. In a typewriter, thecombination of a platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips and type mechanism movable relatively in step-by-step letter feed or return direction, said platen having spaced circular rows of feeding pins and said worksheets having marginal pin-engaging apertures; a carrier; a segmental holder rotatably mounted on the carrier; and a transfer strip, forming the arcuate margin of the segmental holder, said transfer strip being located between the worksheet strips at the line of writing and having portions progressively rolled into the line of writing conjointly with the traveling movements of the carrier with the type mechanism, the length of the arcuate transfer strip being substantially equal to the length. of the line of writing."

10. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen for carrying a plurality of continuous worksheet strips, said platen having spaced circular rows of feeding pins thereon and the 'worksheet strips having marginal pin-engaging apertures; type mechanism movable into line writing position and in step-by-step letter feed and return direction relative to the platen; a carrier movable with the type mechanism in letter feed direction; a holder rotatably mounted on the carrier; and an arcuate transfer strip on the peripheral margin of the holder, said transfer strip being located between the worksheet strips at the line of writing and having portions progressively rolled into the line of writing as a result of the traveling movements of the carrier with the type mechanism, said arcuate transfer strip being in extent less than a complete circle to avoid interference with or by the feeding pins of the platen when the type mechanism carriage is in position to print near the apertured marginal edge of the worksheet strips.

11. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen; a stationary frame; a frame hinged to the stationary frame above the platen; guide rods carried by the second-named frame; carriers mounted on the guide rods; holders mounted upon the carriers; a travelling carriage movable in stepby-step feed and return directions; means connecting said carriage with the carriers to cause them to move together; members rotatably mounted one on each of said carriers and extending toward the platen; strips of transfer mate,- rial one supported by each holder and having an arcuate periphery extending beyond the holder and adapted to be located on the line of writing of the platen; and means for holding said secondnamed frame in one of a plurality of positions, said positions determining the extent to which said transfer strips extend beyond the line of writing of the platen.

12. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen; a frame above the platen; guide rods carried by the frame; carriers mounted on the guide rods; holders mounted upon the carriers; a travlling carriage movable in step-by-step feed and return directions; means connecting said carriage with the carriers to cause them to move together; members rotatably mounted on each of said carriers and extending toward the platen; and strips of transfer material supported by and having an arcuate periphery beyond each member and adapted to be located on the line of writing of the platen.

13. In a typewriter, the combination of a platen;.a stationary frame; a frame hinged to the stationary frame above the platen; guide rods carried by the second-named frame; carriers mounted on the guide rods; a travelling carriage movable in step-by-step feed and return directions; a cable connecting said carriage with the carriers to cause them to move together; another cable passing through the point at which the second-named frame is hinged to the stationary frame to remain taut in all positions of the former on the latter; members rotatably mounted on each of said carriers and extending toward the platen; strips of transfer material supported by and having an arcuate periphery extending beyond each member and adapted to be located on the line of writing of the platen; and means for holding said second-named frame in one of a plurality of positions, said positions determining the extent to which said transfer strips extend be-.

yond the line of writing of the platen.

14. A carbon holder for typewriting machines comprising a segment of flexible material having at its periphery and extending therebeyond an arcuate strip of transfer material approximately equal in length to the line of writing of a platen V and work sheets with which it is to be used, said segment having at its apex a bearing aperture on which it is mounted, and said arcuate strip being detachably mounted on the segment.

15. A carbon holder for typewriting machines comprising a segment of flexible material having at its periphery and extending therebeyond an arcuate strip of transfer material approximately equal in length to the line of writing of a platen and worksheets with which it is to be used.

. 16. In a typewriting machine, a carrier having a pin and a pair of fingers spaced from the pin and projecting toward the pin from opposite sides; and a segmental carbon holder having an aperture to receive the pin and portions adjacent the aperture adapted to underlie said fingers when supported on said pin, said fingers being adapted to hold the segmental carbon holder on the pin and the portionof the carbon holder having the aperture being flexible so as to be slidable under the fingers when being placed on the pin.

17. In a typewriting machine, a carrier having a pin and a pair of fingers spaced from the pin and projecting toward the pin from opposite sides; and a segmental carbon holder having an aperture .to receive the pin and portions adjacent the aperture adapted to underlie said'fingers when supported on said pin, said fingers being adapted to hold the segmental carbon holder on the pin.

18. In a typewriting machine, a carrier having a pin and a pair of fingers spaced from the pin and projecting toward the pin from opposite sides; and a segmental carbon holder having an aperture to receive the pin and portions adjacent the aperture adapted to underlie said fingers when supported on said pin, said fingers being adapted to hold the segmental carbon holder on thepin, the portion of the carbon holder having the aperture being flexible so as to be slidable under the fingers when being placed on the pin and having another aperture into which the pin may extend while being flexed.

19. In a typewriting machine, a platen; a type mechanism; mechanism to effect relative movement between said platen and type mechanism in letter feed and return directions; a segmental transfer device having a peripheral arcuate margin equal in length to the line of the line of writing of the platen with which it is to be used; and meanssupporting said segmental transfer device between worksheets superposed on the platen for oscillation about an axis above the printing point of the type mechanism so that the peripheral margin of the segment will roll between said worksheets in the line of writing thereof during the letter space relative movement between the platen and the type mechanism as a result of the tractive engagement of the peripheral margin of the segment with the position of the worksheets at or adjacent the line of writing.

20. A carbon holder for' typewriting machines comprising a segment of flexible material; an arcuate strip of transfer material adapted to be mounted on the segment at its periphery and extending therebeyond, said arcuate strip being approximately equal in length to the line of writing of a platen andworksheets with which it is to be used; and means for interchangeably connecting the arcuate strip of transfer material to the segment.

21. A carbon holder for typewriting machines comprising a segment; an arcuate strip of transfer material adapted to be mounted on the segment at its periphery and extending therebeyond, said arcuate strip being approximately equal in length to the line of writing of a platen and worksheets with which it is to be used; and means for interchangeably connecting the arcuate strip of transfer material to the segment.

22. A carbon holder for typewriting machines comprising a segment; an arcuate strip of transfer material adapted to be mounted on the segment at its periphery and extending therebeyond, said arcuate strip being approximately equal in length to the line of writing of a platen and worksheets with which it is to be used; and a pin and slot connection for interchangeably connecting the arcuate strip of transfer material to the segment.

23. A carbon holder for typewriting machines comprising a segment having at its periphery and extending therebeyond an arcuate strip of transfer material approximately equal in length to the line of writing of a platen and worksheets with which it is to be used.

24. A transfer member for typewriting machines comprising a segment of transfer material having a bearing portion for connection to the typewriting machine, the periphery of said segment being approximately equal in length to the line of writing of a platen and worksheet with which it is to be used.

25. In'a typewriter, a platen for supporting paper; a platen carriage; a support on the carriage; a segmental holder pivotally mounted on said support; an arcuate transfer member adapted to be supported coextensively upon the periphery of the segmental holder approximately equal in length to the line of writing of a platen and worksheets with which it is to be used; and means for interchangeably connecting said transfer member on the segmental holder.

26. In a typewriter, a platen for supporting paper; a platen carriage; a support on the carriage; and a segmental transfer "member pivotally mounted on the support, and at its outer peripheral edge being of a length equalling the width of the writing portions of the paper and the platen.

27. In a typewriter, a platen for supporting paper; a platen carriage; a support on the carriage; a segmental transfer member pivotally mounted on the support, and at its outer peripheral edge being of a length equalling the width of the writing portions of the paper and the platen; a type mechanism adapted to travel step-by-step relative to the platen; and means connecting the transfer member support to the type mechanism to move successive portions of the segmental transfer member into line writing position between the papers on the platen.

28. In a typewriting machine, a carrier having a pin and a pair of fingers spaced from the pin and projecting toward the pin from opposite sides; and a segmental transfer member having an aperture to receive the pin and portions adjacent the aperture adapted to underlie said flngers when supported on said pin, said fingers being adapted to hold the segmental transfer member on the pin.

29. In a typewriting machine, a carrier having a pin and a pair of fingers spaced from the ing adapted to hold the segmental transfer member on the pin, and the portion of the transfer member having the aperture being flexible so as to be slidable under the fingers when placed on the pin.

ARTHUR A. JOHNSON. 

